Let’s be honest, most people haven’t played Minecraft. You might have heard of it, seen a few blocky memes, or maybe even watched someone build a castle on YouTube. But chances are, you’ve never actually picked up the game. And even if you did, did anyone ever really ask for a Minecraft movie? Probably not.
But here we are. After The Super Mario Bros movie made over $1 billion and the Sonic trilogy racked up impressive box office numbers, Hollywood couldn’t resist dusting off another popular video game IP. So now we’ve got a Minecraft movie, whether we wanted one or not.
Four misfits struggle with everyday problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld, a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.
To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert craftier. Sounds familiar right?
From there, things get weird. Not bad, weird, just... odd. This is one of those movies you’re better off watching with your brain parked at the door. It’s goofy, self-aware, and clearly designed to be a popcorn film that doesn’t alienate people who’ve never heard of the source material.
What works
Let’s start with the visuals. Minecraft has a very specific look, blocky, low-res, almost ugly, on purpose. Translating that to the big screen could’ve been a disaster. But the movie finds a balance.
The characters still look weird, but not off-putting. It keeps the essence of the game while being visually digestible to newcomers.
This isn’t a perfect film, but I was surprised by how entertained I was. For context, I’ve played Minecraft, but I watched this like someone who hadn’t.
It reminded me tonally of a mashup between Jumanji and Minions, lots of colour, fast pacing, and humour that’s loud, physical, and aimed squarely at children.
That said, there are enough inside jokes and game references, crafting, mobs, and weird physics to keep longtime players engaged.
The story sticks to a tried and true structure: find the magic object, stop the villain, save the village. It’s simple, but necessary for a movie based on a game with no real plot. And honestly, it works. The film doesn’t overreach. It’s silly, absurd, and doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
Jack Black is, well, Jack Black. If you like his style, you’ll have fun. If not, this might not be for you. Jason Momoa plays Garret, bringing high energy and a wild vibe that reminded me of Flip from Slumberland. Together, Black and Momoa have decent chemistry. They’re charismatic, and that carries a lot of the movie.
The supporting cast, especially the young actors and Danielle Brooks, don’t do anything groundbreaking, but they hold their own.
The third act ramps up the action, and while the structure is standard, the movie leans into its weirdness enough to keep things fun. Children will enjoy this, and honestly, some of the jokes had me chuckling.
What doesn’t work
From the trailers alone, you can already tell the green screen use is present and dominant. The whole film has that overly polished Hollywood virtual sheen. While the actors are able to sell their scenes, you’re always aware that they’re surrounded by digital backdrops.
Personally, I think this would’ve worked better as a 2D animated film. The live-action/CGI blend makes everything look slightly off. It’s not immersive, it’s just obvious.
The writing also leaves a lot to be desired. The script feels extremely surface level, recycling familiar beats from every other “regular people stuck in a magical world” movie you’ve seen. There’s very little depth, and it plays things too safe.
And then there’s that subplot. For some reason, a Minecraft character ends up in the real world and starts dating Jennifer Coolidge.
The film cuts back to them multiple times, but it never ties into the main story. It feels like a leftover from a different draft and adds nothing but confusion.
Director Jared Hess, who gave us Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, is known for his quirky surreal tone, but that signature style is mostly absent here. Maybe the big budget swallowed it. Either way, I wish more of his oddball charm had made it into the final cut.
So, should you watch it?
If you're looking for something thoughtful, like The Wild Robot, this is not it. But if you want something light, silly, and designed to please a crowd, especially younger ones, this does the job. It’s a generic, loud, and sometimes bizarre crowd-pleaser with weird character designs and just enough heart to keep you engaged.
